Gas meter



May.; 4 1926.

H. F. TOLHURST GAS METER Filed June s, 192; lstream-snaai 1 May 4 192s.

3 o 2 3 oo. 5 1 T S R U H L O T F.. um.

GAS METER Filed June 3. 1921 mmwmwwm.

Patentedv May 4, 1926.

UNITED 'STATES HERBERT r. froLHURs'r, or CLEVELAND, o Hro.

YGrAs METER.

Applcatonvled June 3, 19241.V Serial No. 474,673.

State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gras Meters, of

A which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gas meters. v Y

-he objectsofthis invention, are to improve and simplify the general construction of the gas meter by providing one in which all of the innerworking parts are-supported l entirely by one of the casing members and to which access can be had by removal of the other casing member; to provide a meter in which the valve is self-cleaning and in which the structureof valve and fluid conduits is simple and yet ellicient and dependable;v to provide a reversible cross-plate for supporting the bellows and valve mechanism so that the Vdirection of flow of the gas or other fluid through the meter can be reversed without changing the position ofthe metercasing; and to improve the construction andvarrangement of the flag wires. y y Other objects of this invention will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my invention with parts broken away; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2, Fig. 1 with the bellowsin` different condition; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the valve; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the disk y underlying the valve; Fig. 5 is taken on line 5-5, Fig. 1; and Fig.l 6 is taken on line 6-6, Fig. 1.

The casing of my improved ygas meter comprises the upper and lower sections 1 and 2 which are secured together by means of the screw bolts 3 extending through theoverlapping flanges 4 and 5 provided upon the casing members and between which` there is also provided a suitable sealing gasket 6. Legs 7 are provided upon the lower member 2 and a removable cap 1a is provided to permit adjustment of the parts. Both of the members 1 and 2 are formed of cast metal andthe upper member is provided with the inlet connection 7 and the outlet connection 8. A cross plate 9 upon which are suppo-rted the inner working parts ofthe meter, extends across the interior of the upper casing member and'is secured to inwardly extending flanges 'thereon'by means of the-screw bolts 10er in any other suitable manner vso as to permit the removal andV reversal-of the crossplate whenever desired. This crossplate may extend entirely' across the casing and maybe cast integral therewith, but is here shownas a separatepart and asof less width. lthan the casing body member'through the same horizontal plane. The -crossiplate ',9 is of cast metal and has formed integrally therewith the conduits 11 and 12 extending lengthwise and depending'from Vthe under,- side thereof. lTheV outer ends ofthe conduits 11 and 12 yare provided with ports 13 and'14 as means of communication with the inlet andl outlet connections 7 and 8, respectively.

The cross-plate is also provided wit-hports 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19. The conduit 20 which is secured to the upper side ofthe lcross-plate 9 by means of screw bolts 21 or the like, yextending through the peripheral flange 22 1 thereof, has smaller and largerfportionsf as clearly indicated in Fig. 1 rand extends lover the ports 151019 inclusive.- fShouldthe cross-plate 9 extend entirelyacross thecas-` 23 is lfixedly mounted upon the upper face'of the cross-plate 9fby means'of screw boltsV 2 4: or the likeand is provided withthreeseotor shaped ports25. A center port 26 is also pro-vided inthe disc. 23 and registers with vthe port 17,1while the ports 25 register with 28. The portion 28 is substantially fain shaped with a circular portion provided at the'centerlof the valve member. As will be seen also from Fig. 8, the valve member is cut away at one side as indicated at 29. `This valve member is karranged concentrically with respect to the disc 23 and is vadapted to rotate thereover. The ports 25 each extend about fling, the conduit would be'omitted'. -A disc 1 61 degrees about the disc and are unequally spaced apart sofas to prevent a dead spot f in the operation of the'valve for successively filling and discharging the three measuring compartments. These ports are here shown asy being spaced rapart* approximately 4:5, 62' andv 7 0 degrees, respectively. The portions between the ports'are Vcountersunk so as to provide the edges 28a for scraping any depositoif of the valve member as it rotates in f and serves as a cover for the same. vion 37 meshes with and 1s driven by the contact with the disc. The peripheral portions of the disc corresponding to the countersunk portions are also cut back as indicated at 23" so as to provide the edges 23c for the same purpose. Likewise the marginal portions of the central port 26 opposite the countersunk portions are cut back to provide the straight edges 23d for the same purpose. The vertical depending` walls about the hollow discharge portion are sufficiently thick to effect proper sealing engagement with allk peripheral portions of the disc. Any such deposit removed from the valve member can lbe cleaned out whenever necessary. Thus my valve mechanism is self-cleaning and .engagement of the rear or inactive wall of the recess with the finger 31. The lower end of the rotating member 32 is rcessed to receive the upwardly extending lug 33 on the valve member for centering purposes. The rotating .stem'32 extends throughV a stufling box 34 which is screw threaded in the top of the conduit 20 and which is operated by means of the hexagonal nut portion 34a. The nut cap 34b screws into the stuffing box The pinworm 35 for actuation of the'horizontally disposed rod 38 which extends through the inset portion of the side wall of the casing for the operation of an indicator enclosed within the inset portion by means of a sealed window 40. The rod 38 is suitably mounted inthe brackets 41 and 42 upon the top of the conduit 20. A thief catcher is indicated in a general way at 30a and 31a to prev-ent stealing of gas.

The rod 44 which is fixedly attached at its one end to the upper end of the rotating Ystem 32 has pivotal connecton at its other end with the two connecting rods 47 and 48,

respectively. |The outer ends of the connecting rods 47 and 48 are connected to the upper end portion of the vertically disposed flag wires 50 and 51 which have depending lower end portion 52 and 53, respectively, for pivotal mounting in the sockets provided in the upper ends of the adjustable supports 54 and 55, respectively. The upper ends of flag wires 50 and 51 are pivotallymounted at 50EL and 51a in the top of the casing. As indicated in the drawing, the extreme lower ends of the iiag wires 52 and 53 are given a conical shape for pivotal movement in the wires terminate in vertically7 disposed portions 62 and 63 which have pivotal connection with the bracket arms 64 and 65 extend:`

ing from the center port-ions of the side walls 60 and 67 of the bellows 70 and 71. The inner walls of the bellows are indicated at 72 and 73, respectively, and are connected to the outer walls of the bellows by means of the extensible leather walls 7 4 and 75. The bellows are supported upon opposite sides of the lower end portion of the downwardly extending conduit 80 which provides fluid delivery connection between the bellowsl and the several ports already referred to. This conduit 80 is cast integrally with the crossplate 9. As indicated in the drawing, the walls 81 and 82 are inclined downwardly and inwardly and are spaced from the conduit member 12. The conduit member80 is divided into two channels 88 and 89 by means of the wall 90,*which is formed as an integral extension from the under face of the conduit 12. Channels 88 and 89 communicate with ports 18 and 19, respectively, as indicated on thedrawing. Near the lower end and on opposite sides of the wall 90 there are provided screw threaded bosses 95 for the reception of the screw threaded ends of the bolts 96 which extend through spiders 97 engaging across the center l apertures through the inner walls of the bellows. These spiders, as will be seen from the drawing, engage the marginal portions 'of the apertures through the bellows and afford a means of supporting the bellows in position without interfering with the flow of gas between the conduit and the bellows. These joints are suitably sealed with packing. Apertures are also provided in the center portion of the outer wall of each of the bel! lows for access to the screw bolts 96 in assembling the parts. When the parts have been assembled these apertures are closed and sealed against unauthorized tampering as indicated at 100. As shown in Fig. y2 of the drawing, the outer walls of theconduit 80 are provided with suitable registering apertures near the lower end for the reception of the attaching means including the spiders, as just now referred to. The bails 105 are mounted at 106 in the upper casing member so as to prevent any improper movement of the bellows about a vertical axis. The alternate distending and contracting of the @gusanos .VlVe 3S well'- as the indicator through the a'g'wre-connectiona Y valve through" the hollow portion 28 ofthe valve, the port26, the conduit 12 and vfinally `out'tlfiroughl the discharge connection 8. Re-

u yon saidl seat'controlling'fv theflow of fluid to said three compartmentsf ferring, for example, to the positionk of the valve as indicated in Fig. 1 vthe bellows 71 in this particular position is empty,l having lcross member therein, two bellows both exjust been discharged, while the bellows 7 0 has been approximately half discharged, and the other measuring compartment around the twobellows is lling through the ports 15 and 16. Bellows 71 discharges through the channel 88, a port 25 of the disc 23, conduit portion 28 of the valve, center port 26 of the disc 23, port 17, conduit 12 and finally to discharge connection 8. By virtue of the rotation of the valve member, the conduit portion 28 of the valve member is in turn brought into communication with u each of the three openings 25 so as to permit the fluid contents of the several measuring compartments to be discharged out through the connections just now described. For instance, following out the operation of the valve as illustrated in Fig. 1, the valve turning in a counter clockwise direction, the bellows 7l will next be filled while the bellows will be discharging, and the other measuring compartment, having already been filled, will be ready vto discharge. Then upon further operat-ion ofthe valve, the bellows 71 will be ready to discharge while the bellows 7 0 will be filling and the other measuring compartment will have been almost completely discharged.

Among the several advantages flowing from this invention are the following. First,- all of the operating parts are supported within the upper casing member of the meter so that access can be readily had thereto by simply removing the lower casing member or by removing the cap 1*". The automatic means for keeping the valve mechanism clean prevents sticking. lVith this device, it is also possible to disconnect the cross-plate with the working parts carried thereby and to reverse the same end for end so as to enable the meter to be used either as a right hand or a left hand meter according to existing conditions. In this way it is possible to have the one meter meet all conditions as to location of the same.

Other advantages flowing from this invention will be apparent to those who are skilled in the art to which it relates.

' @when Claim isf.. u f

1. A fluid meter, comprising a casing hav-v Y A ling two body members provided with meet- From the vabove iti willl be seen that I have i provided a meter with three separate meas-v uringjcompartments, namely `the two bel lows landthe unoccupied spaceV within the casing body and that these'several compartments are in turn filled with gas through' the inlet 7, the conduit 11, and the'port 15, and discharged upon operation ofthe rotating ging memberprovidedA with threegports, one 'communicating with each of said three/meas- `vcasingmay serve as va'measuring compartment, two bellows both exposed in said casing and v each having a measuring compart-I ment therein, al valve Vseatfon ysaid supporturing compartments, and" avalve working 2. A fluid meter, compr1sing a casing, aV

posed in said casing, a valve seat on said cross member provided with circularly arranged ports, fluid directing means between said ports and the middle part-s of the walls of said bellows, a rotatable valve mounted on said cross member for controlling the flow of fluid-through said fluid directing means to said bellows.

3. A fluid meter, comprisinga casing, a cross member therein, fluid measuring bellows carried by said member, inlet and outlet connections for said bellows, said lcross member being reversible end for end so as to reverse the direction of flow of the fluid through the meter. Y Y

4. A fluid meter, comprising a casing, fluid measuring bellows within said casing, inlet and outlet connections `for said bellows, valve mechanism for controlling the flow of fluid to and from said bellows, means operae tively connecting said bellows and valve mechanism including flag wires, said flag 105 wires having vertically disposed unintera Y rupted portions pivotally supported only at the top and bottom parts of said casing.

5. A fluid kmeter, comprising a casing, fluid measuring compartments within said casing, rotatable valve mechanism for controlling the flow of fluid into and-out of said compartments, and means including radially extending cooperating edges for preventing sticking of said valve mechanism.

6. In a fluid meter, a valve mechanism comprising a disc with a plurality of ports therethrough, and a rotatable member for co-operation with said disc, said valve mechanism being provided with means for automatically removing deposit from said rotatable member including radially extending marginal edges along said ports for co-operation with said rotatable member.

7 In a fluid meter, a valve mechanism comprising a disc with a plurality of ports therethrough, and a rotatable member for co-operation with said disc, said ports and rotatable member being provided with cooperating radially extending marginal edges 130 'sof for automatically cleaning the Valve memcomprising a disc with a plurality of parts therethrough, and a rotatable Valve member Y for (1o-operation With said disc, the portions of the disc between Said openings being countersunk with radially extending cleaning edges. v

- 9. .In a fluid meter, a valve mechanism comprising a disc ywith a plurality of unequally spaced ports therethrough, and a rotatable valve member for co-operation with said disc in thecontrol of fluid therethrough.

r10. In a; fluid meter, a Valve mechanism comprising aV centrally apertured disc With of said disc having cut-awaypportions so as to` form radially extending cleaning edges ll. In a fluid meter, Va valvel mechanism ycomprising a disc with a pluralityof unequally spaced ports therethrough, and a rotatable Vvalve member havinga conduit portion for co-operation progressively With said v ports so as to control the flow of Huid therethrough. y d y v A In testimony whereof I herebyvallix my signature. Y

HERBERT r. ToLminer. 

